


Follow The Gull's Cry To Valinor

by Nanerich



Category: The Lord of the Rings (Movies), The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Gen, M/M, like many years later, set after Aragorn and Arwen's wedding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-18
Updated: 2019-08-18
Packaged: 2020-09-06 22:56:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20299306
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nanerich/pseuds/Nanerich
Summary: After the defeat of Sauron, Legolas and Gimli travelled Middle Earth. But now that the Dwarf was getting older, things did seem to come to an end, especially since Legolas can't resist the call West any longer. But whoever said Dwarves ween't allowed in Valionr, well, Legolas would at least try to proof them wrong.





	Follow The Gull's Cry To Valinor

Gimli was getting old. Naturally, he wasn’t an Elf after all, but as their travels continued, Legolas couldn’t help noticing all the little changes: how he was getting slower; how he needed more rest; how his hair grew grey; but mostly how his sense and want for adventures lessened and that glint in his eyes that Legolas had come to love… it was not gone, but he saw it less and less.

And Legolas himself had the feeling that his time in Middle Earth was nearing its end. Ever since he heard the sea gulls cry… Valinor was calling for him and Legolas couldn’t resist it much longer. The only reason he hadn’t joined his people at the end of the third age was sitting next to him, smoking his pipe.

“I don’t suppose I will be seeing the Lonely Mountain and his bountiful halls again.”

Legolas only smiled. They were sitting in the houses of Elrond, looking over Rivendell. It felt almost surreal, all deserted and empty, so different from the he and Gimli first met. He never could have imagined that this rude, loud and conceited Dwarf of all people would become the person he treasured most in the world.

“The kingly halls of Durin… Even a pointy-ear like you would be impressed by its wide halls, statues, its riches…”

“You have shown me, I remember it clearly. Your people are truly skilled, Erebor is magnificent.”

“Oh yes… I am sorry, I seem to have forgotten…” Gimli looked away, but Legolas noticed the sad look in his eyes.

“You have nothing to be sorry for, my dear. Would you like me to tell you about our travels to the Lonely Mountain?”

“Would you?”

“The first time we went to Erebor was after the wedding celebration of Aragorn and Arwen. We were travelling to Mirkwood, so I could see my father before he left for the undying lands.”

“Thranduil. He imprisoned my father. For weeks!” Gimli shook his fist at the air, full of rage.

“I know. I… I was there, actually.” Remorseful, Legolas looked at him.

“You held my father captive? You son of a… pointy-eared…” He grumbled some more in Khuz-dul and while Legolas was getting better, he wasn’t fluent enough to understand. It probably wasn’t too friendly.

“Well, you and I visited the halls of the woodland king, as they were readying themselves to leave for the Grey Havens. Everybody was staring at us, there hadn’t been a Dwarf in Mirkwood since the company of Thorin Oakenshield. And they never would have thought that a Dwarf would ever accompany the son of Thranduil.”

“Our fathers really hated each other, didn’t they?”

“Oh, Thranduil was very angry when I introduced you and told him that I would stay in Middle Earth with you. He yelled and yelled and said some very unkind things about you. He almost threw you out of his halls”, he added, laughing.

“I would like to see the Elfling that could beat me in a fight.”

“Yes, you said the same thing to him and almost started a brawl.”

“Oh, I remember!”, Gimli laughed, deep and heartily, “I would have liked to show these… woodland creatures what a proper fight looks like. But you had to break it off, didn’t you?”

“I know how good of a fighter you are, but not even you could have taken on the entire army of Mirkwood…”

“Thanks to you, we’ll never know…”, he grumbled.

“I prefer you unharmed and in one piece, though. Anyways, I believe father is still angry with both of us, and he left us in Mirkwood, barely speaking a word. I showed you around, nonetheless. Do you remember the halls of the woodland realm?”

“I do”, Gimli nodded, “they are beautiful, I have to admit.”

“Thank you. Well, I have to admit that the halls we visited next, were truly magnificent. We travelled on to Lake Town and…”

“The Lonely Mountain”, Gimli continued, with awe in his voice and, just for a moment, the glint in his eyes returned.

“Erebor. Admittedly, I was a little nervous. The last time I had seen some of your people they were imprisoned in my father’s dungeons…”

“Yes, my people don’t exactly like your kind, especially not your father.”

Legolas laughed. “This time you had to keep your father from fighting me.”

“You would not have stood a chance and I did not and still do not want to see you getting hurt.”

“Thank you, dear. Well, they did allow me to stay eventually, and you showed me around the great halls of the kingdom under the mountain. Though I couldn’t decide whether I found them more impressive or Moria, though the latter has a lot of bad memories attached…”

“My cousin Balin, my kin…” Gimli sighed heavily. “And good old Gandalf. Though he returned at least…”

“Our adventures do have some very strange parts about them…”

Gimli just snorted a laugh. “I have to say, I would like to have a last travel, though I doubt I will be able to.”

“Now, where is that Dwarven stubbornness?”

“Hmpf.” Gimli puffed on his pipe, mumbling something along the lines of: “I’ll show you stubbornness, you pointy-ear”, causing Legolas to smile. In all the years they had spend together, they never lost their competitive streak.

“I believe it is time for my last travels as well…”

“You are leaving me?” Hurt, Gimli looked up at him, his voice almost cracking.

“No, I would never leave you!” To assure him, Legolas took Gimli’s hand in his, squeezing it softly. “All I’m saying is that I hear the sea gulls, calling me West.”

“Are there any boats left faring to Valinor? Didn’t the last one depart with Gandalf and the Lady Galadriel?”

“Yes, but in our travels, we learned enough about sea travels… I believe we could easily build our own boat…” He smiled widely.

“What do you mean, ‘we’?”

“I just told you, I would never leave you behind.”

“Oh laddie!” Clearly touched by the sentiment, Gimli leaned against him. “But only Elves are allowed in Valinor!”

“Well, Frodo and Bilbo got to travel there, so why shouldn’t you?”

“Oh Legolas, you are quite something”, he laughed.

“Is that a yes?”

“Now, I can’t in good conscience leave you alone. Who knows what you would get yourself into…”

So, the next morning they rode on, rode West. And the boat Legolas built, well, it was definitively not very well-designed and graceful, Gimli only said it had character. But it did look sturdy enough to take them safely to the undying lands.

“Well, the Elven crafmanship can definitively not compete with that of the Dwarves, but it’s not to bad. For a pointy-ear.”, Gimli added with a smug grin.

“What was I supposed to do? The only Dwarf around was too busy sitting lazily around…”

“What? Oh, I’ll give you lazy! Are we going to Valinor, or what?” Determined, Gimli got up and walked down the harbour. “Are you coming?”

Laughing, Legolas followed, albeit a little slower, pulling the boat after him.

“And you are sure that you know the way?”

Legolas had lost count how many times Gimli had asked that question over the last hours.

“If you ask one more time, I will throw you overboard.”

He was starting to worry a bit as well. The way to Valinor was an instinct to his people, like the migration of birds. But maybe this instinct died with the third age! He didn’t want to burden Gimli though, so he kept his doubts to himself.

However, his worries proofed in vain. The afternoon sun was getting lower as he saw land ahead.

“Valinor!”, he sighed, relieved and strangely happy. “We will reach the harbour by sunset. Oh, ,my dear Gimli, we are almost there!” Legolas was overjoyed, a deep feeling of harmony filling his body.

“Good. And no time to soon, my feet are quite wet; I doubt your boat would have made it much further…”

“Oh, it doesn’t have to.”

“My, aren’t you chipper.”

“Don’t you feel it? Feel the absolute peace radiating from Valinor, like back in Lothlorien, in the houses of the Lady Galadriel?”

“Mhm, the most beautiful Elf I ever laid my eyes on…” Dreamily, he stared off into the distance.

“Lucky for you I am too joyous to take it personally.”

“Don’t be jealous, you will always be in second place.”

His estimation was correct: Just as the sun set behind the horizon and coloured the sky in deep red and orange shades, Legolas navigated his boat into the harbour, whose magnificence put even the Grey Havens to shame. When he brought the boat to shore, they were immediately greeted by some very astonished Elves.

“Hello friends. I am Legolas Thrandulion of the woodland realms and this is Gimli, son of Gloin.” While he introduced themselves, Legolas helped Gimli out of the boat, who then took a bow. “At your service.”

“Welcome to Valinor.” The Elves exchanged quick glances before one of them quietly nodded at Legolas and quickly took off.

“Please, if you would follow me, I am sure there are a few people who would surely like to speak with you.”

“Do you… do you thin the Lady Galadriel… that she would see us?” A bit nervously, Gimli fidgeted with his fingers as they made for what looked like the realm of Lothlorien, only even more magnificent.

“My dear, I am sure of it.”

He had to smile, as Gimli gently touched the locket where he kept the strands of her hair safe, ever since that day they left Lothlorien.

“Gentlemen, you are awaited.” Their guide lead them up a last flight of stairs. Legolas could feel the energy radiating from where they were heading, even Gimli’s step seemed to have rejuvenated. On the top they were presented with what could only be described as an open-air hall and there, waiting for them, were the Lady Galadriel, Lord Elrond, his father Thranduil and Gandalf.

“Son! You… How…”

“Legolas! Gimli! Oh, how wonderful to see you two again!” Gandalf walked towards them, a big smile on his face. He hugged Gimli before nodding at Legolas and stretching his arm out in greeting.

“Mithrandir.” Legolas returned the welcome. “It truly is.”

“Son. You… How are you here? Oh, it doesn’t matter, I am glad to see you. I was so mad the last time we spoke. But then I realized that the last thing I ever said to you was said in anger and filled with wrath…” Thranduil grabbed his son’s shoulders, smiling, pulling him closer. “I am so sorry. And I am immeasurably grateful to see you, my dear son.”

“I missed you, too, ada.”

“It truly is a wonderful family reunion.” Elrond and Galadriel walked up behind his father, nodding at the two.

“My Lady”, Gimli bowed deep, “you still are as magnificent as you were when we first met all those years ago. Though, while father time has not been gracious to me, you do not look even a day older.”

“Gimli, son of Gloin. I can see, my gift to you was treasured caringly.” She looked at his locket and smiled warmly. “Welcome to Valinor. You both must have an exhausting journey behind you. Let us have dinner together and there will be more than enough time for questions and explanations.”

“Although”, Gandalf threw in, “there are two more people who would like to see you, and it looks like they just arrived.”

“Gloin? Gloin, is that you? Oh, by the wizard’s beard, my old companion!”

They turned around, seeing two Hobbits in the doorway.

“No, Uncle Bilbo, it is Gimli, Gloin’s son and Legolas, of the fellowship, my old companions!”

“Frodo! Oh, my boy!” Gimli quickly walked over, embracing the young Hobbit, Legolas followed suit.

“Sam told us, you went with Gandalf, joined him on the last ship to Valinor.”

“Apparently, not the last one.”

“You really look just like your father.” Bilbo still stood in front of Gimli, looking at him, examining his every feature. “He would be very proud to see you standing here.”

“Thank you, Master Baggins. He spoke often of you, I am looking forward to getting to know you the way he once did.”

“Now, that can be arranged”, the Hobbit laughed, before linking his arm with Gimli’s. “Now, what’s that I hear about dinner?”


End file.
